Power over Blood
by Killer Kiwi Strikes Again
Summary: Ryou is spending the summer with his aunt and uncle when all hell breaks loose. ((STORY COMPLETE!!!! After my long absence!!!!!!!))
1. Running

Disclaimer: I definately do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! I only own me and my other characters.  
If you like this chapter please review and I may post the next one.  
  
Thanks!!!  
  
RUNNING  
Running. Running. He couldn't stop. Not now. Not after all he'd been through. He hurtled across the field and stopped for a moment to catch his breath. He crouched behind a large boulder, squinting through the pouring rain. When he saw them again, 'they' had formed a tight line so that nothing could break through.  
Ryou brushed sopping wet hair out of his eyes. "Damn." he growled. He looked over his shoulder into the dark forest looming up behind him. It was his best chance. He made a dash for it, praying silently that 'they' wouldn't see him.  
But 'they' did. Just as he reached the first few trees he heard a shout behind him and feet breaking into a quick jog. He increased his pace, holding the stitch in his side. Deeper and deeper he ran, until he couldn't see the dim gray light of the sun. He huddled next to a rough outcropping of rock, clutching at himself for warmth. He shuffled backwards until he was deep into a crevasse in the stone face. He glanced around. There seemed to be a pitch black spot in the shadowed rock. He edged towards it, painfully aware that his heart was beating like a drum roll.   
After five minutes of careful creeping, he reached it. It seemed to be a cave, though how deep it was, Ryou couldn't tell. Glancing back towards where the lights were shining through the rain, he made up his mind. Anything was better than going back there. Anything. Maybe even death. He stumbled into the welcome darkness of the cave. The jagged stones littering the floor cut at his feet, biting into the bare flesh, but he kept going. Can't stop. Can't.  
He didn't know how long he walked for. If could have been years. It certainly felt that way. He finally used up the last of his energy and slumped onto the cave's rough floor, crying softly. He looked around, hoping that his eyes would become accustomed, but they didn't. Finally he just closed them and rested.  
He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew he was being lifted by large, rough hands. He tried to protest, to break free, to run, run for all he was still worth, but he couldn't. Couldn't. The thing carrying him walked on. It steadily plodded along the - pathway? Ryou couldn't tell. And didn't really care.  
As the thing walked, it gave Ryou time to think about what was happening to him. Just a month ago, he had been a happy, contented student at a good high school. But that had all changed. All changed when he had been sent off to live with relatives over the summer. At first it had been all right. His aunt and uncle seemed pleasant enough. But then he had met the maid. He shuddered at the thought of her. Ratri. That evil look on her face when ever she saw him. That look that promised something bad. He didn't know why she hated him so, but he had started locking his doors and windows at night. His aunt doted on her and Ratri always wore a little simpering smile when ever she was near his aunt. His uncle didn't seem to notice her and she ignored him. For a while Ryou had thought that locking the door and windows would be enough. But he had been set straight. One night, after a social party of his aunt's, he had come upstairs to his room, tired and yawning. So tired that he hadn't noticed one of the wall panels sliding back into place. He had put his night clothes on, and gotten into bed. He lay   
for a while in bed, just thinking, and talking to himself a tiny bit. He reached for the glass of water that was always next to his bed. He grasped it and pulled it towards him. He had it almost to his lips when he noticed it smelled funny. He turned on his bedside lamp. The 'water' was tinted a sickening purple and was slightly fizzy at the top. He decided he didn't   
want a drink just then. The next morning he had looked for the glass, but it had disappeared. If there hadn't been a ring of blackened wood on the table, he would have passed it off as a dream. Down at breakfast, Ratri asked him if he would like a 'mushroom' omelette. He politely declined her offer. For about a week after, things seemed almost normal. Then all hell had   
been set loose.   
The thing carrying him stumbled slightly but regained their footing.  
Ryou went back to his remembering. He hadn't been able to sleep, so he was reading in bed. It was about midnight and he was paranoid. He had thought he heard a grating of wood on wood. He pulled out the iron rod that now slept under his mattress. Nothing. He had put the rod down and went back to reading. Then he thought he heard footsteps. He picked up the rod again. They stopped. Now he was really paranoid. He kept the rod propped up against his shoulder and tried to read. He couldn't. He had the feeling something really bad was about to happen. Actually, happening because just as he began to lift the rod in answer to a creaking outside his doorway, the wall panel behind his bed slid sideways and a heavy club came out and hit Ryou over the head.'They' had covered up his disappearance very well. They packed all of his belongings and took them to his home, leaving a note for his aunt and uncle saying that he appreciated them having him to stay but he didn't wish to intrude on their hospitality any longer. They had also made his bed and left a half full glass of water on the night stand.  
The thing carrying him set him down. Ryou hugged his broken arm to himself, wondering what would happen next. Had 'They' gotten him? Or had he been saved? He could hear the thing's crunching footsteps going farther and farther away. Then stopping. They walking again.  
He nursed his arm and made sure that his feet were still in good, solid shape. 'They' had done this. And all for the Millennium Ring. Damn the stupid thing! It wasn't that he really cared about it, it was just he didn't know what they would do with it. 'They' had kept him chained up for a week, coming in and taunting him. Sometimes beating him. Finally, when 'they' were sure he couldn't run away, 'they' unchained him. He had played I-am-so-weak-I-cannot-stand for long enough 'they' began to believe him. One thankfully thick person had left the door unlocked. He, with his gathered strength, had made a run for it. And here he was. Away from 'them' and in a dark cave with a giant thing and a broken arm for company. Life couldn't have been more lovely.  
He heard the giant footsteps coming back and with them some softer ones and a light. Ryou shielded his eyes from the piercing brightness. Something dropped down beside him. "Can you stand?" It was a deep, female voice. The burning brightness dimmed a bit and he hesitantly opened his eyes. He looked up into a set of worried eyes, yellow/green slitted ones. Two locks of gray, white, and black hair framed a square-jawed face. The rest was pulled back in a tight braid hanging down her back. He opened his eyes a bit more. Sitting next to him was a leanly built young woman. He just stared at her.   
Finally he manages to come to to say something. "Uh, who are you?" He looked at her doubtfully. She seemed too thin by half and didn't look like she could help him at all. She chuckled. "You may call me Maude." She whistled and a gigantic black male wolf stalked out of the corner. "Othai, support his other side." Maude lifted him so that she had her arm around his shoulder, so that he could cradle his broken arm. He leaned on Othai hesitantly with his other arm. Maude began to lead him towards a large blue stone circle. She let go of him for a moment once they were in the center and took out a piece of black chalk. She drew a perfect circle around all of them. She pocketed the chalk and began to chant in a eerie voice. The circle began to sink lower than the rest of the floor until they were completely underneath. Ryou stared in awe and did his best not to distract Maude  
Maude helped him off the circle and it began to rise. Maude muttered an arcane word and the torches around them burst into soft light. Ryou shut his eyes tightly. Then, when the light didn't burn, opened them. He stared wide-eyed at his surroundings. They were in a crystal tunnel with hieroglyph decorations all over the sides. Maude and Othai began to take   
him down the tunnel and he kept missing his footing because he was staring at the ceiling. Maude finally had to promise to bring him back here once he was well if he would just keep his eyes on where he was stepping.   
They finally reached a crystal door. Maude tapped on it three times. "Lilith, we've got a new friend," she shouted through a funny silver mesh hole in the door.  
"Oh, blast." A higher female voice began swearing fluently in ancient dragon. "I'm coming." Ryou heard running footsteps and then the door swung open. A tall, fragile looking young woman stared back at him. Her eyes were blue/green and seemed to be constantly shifting. Her wavy black hair was tumbled around a fine boned face. Her ancient green healer's robe   
made Ryou feel like singing. Maude's gray peasant clothing hadn't really given him much hope. "Hello. Come in. Maude, why is Othai big again?" Lilith helped to get Ryou into a squishy chair and turned to Maude "We just got him back to his normal size!"  
"Normal size? Othai has a normal size?" Maude looked amazed. She whistled and a normal sized black male wolf stuck his head through the doorway. Maude shrugged. "I dunno, he looks pretty normal to me."  
Lilith looked like a fish out of water, Ryou noticed with amusement. "Oh, hang him!! He goes to any length to make me wrong!!!" Lilith stormed out of the room. If wolves can laugh, Othai was.  
Maude started to scold Othai, then remembered Ryou. "Oops. Sorry. Didn't mean to ignore you. Come right this way." She led him down the hallway that Lilith had used. "Don't mind Lith. She has the temper of a dragon, but she'd never hurt anyone." Maude pulled him into a side room.  
Ryou found himself in what looked like a bedroom. Two cots sat in opposite corners, one occupied by Lilith. She looked up as they entered. "Yes. You need healing, don't you." More of a statement then a question.  
"Um, yeah," Ryou managed to get out.  
"Come here then. I'll need to put you to sleep. It'll make it easier." Lilith began reaching for his forehead.  
Ryou thought quickly. Do I really trust these people? Yes. He did. Why, he didn't know.  
Lilith's hand touched his forehead and he knew no more.  
When he next woke up, his arm was fully healed and his head didn't hurt. He felt for some of the other bruises. They were gone. He sat up and looked around. He was in the same room, on a cot close to Lilith. Lilith seemed to know he was awake, for she sat up too. "Awake, are we?" She looked at him inquiringly. "You've slept for seven weeks. It's never   
taken that long before. I thought you were dead for a bit. But I guess I should have expected a long sleep. More than your body was hurt."  
Ryou thought this over. Seven weeks. He was most likely thought dead by everyone he knew and his aunt and uncle were probably going insane. He looked at Lilith. "What should I do now?"he asked, feeling distinctly like a small child.  
Lilith looked at him thoughtfully. "Maude and I have been talking about that. You can either stay here and learn to heal, speak to animals and the earth and so on. Or you can return to the world you know. Here no time ever passes. Maude and I have been eighteen for about one thousand years now. But is passes rapidly where you are from."  
Maude sat up. "Wha's happenin'?" she said, groggily.  
"He's deciding." That was all Lilith had to say. Maude understood.  
Ryou was in inner turmoil. Stay here and learn the secrets of time, or go home to his friends. He knew that Maude and Lilith would understand if he wanted to go. They wouldn't hold him back. But all that knowledge. How could he resist it?  
Maude gently interrupted his musings. "We could teach you the basics and then go visit your part of the earth, if you like. It would be nice to see the sun again, wouldn't it, Lith?"  
Lilith nodded, a wistful expression on her face. "Sometimes I wonder why I chose this life. But then all I have to do is look at our library and I know why!"  
Ryou chuckled and nodded. He got up slowly and Maude and Lilith followed Othai towards the dining hall. 


	2. Getting Ready to Leave

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! I do own Maude, Lilith, Othai, Shai, and Devi, though. Enjoy!  
  
THANKYOU ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED!!! I LUV U ALL!!!   
  
GETTING READY TO LEAVE  
Five month later, Ryou was sitting on his cot reading Where There is no Time. Maude and Lilith came in just as he reached the third chapter, The Places Where Time Stops . He looked up and said, "When is the next meal? This time freezing thing is confusing."  
Maude chuckled. "Not for a while, youngster. Right now you have to stop reading that fascinating book of yours," Ryou snorted, "and help us with Devi She's been ill. And you know she'll let only you near her." Maude put out her hand to help him from his cot. "Come."  
Ryou put down his 'fascinating' book and sighed. "I think you've cursed me. You made me heal her and gentle her and now she follows her around like a puppy whenever she can." He grasped Maude's hand and let her pull him roughly off his bed.  
Lith grabbed his other arm and they marched down the hall, Maude and Lith on either side of Ryou.  
When they came to where Devi was kept, she flung herself at the door and began letting off little puffs of smoke. Ryou carefully opened the door and protected himself against the enthusiastic greeting of the black phoenix. "Easy, girl, if you murder me I won't come and see you." She flew gracefully over to her perch. Ryou looked at her and saw that her feathers were   
a bit dim and her eyes were cloudy. Lith and Maude all sat on the bench and watched as Ryou used all they had taught him.  
Ryou sat down on the floor and mindcalled Devi over. She nestled herself into his lap and held still as he placed both of his hands on either side of her head and began his meditation.   
He pictured in his mind the way her body looked from the inside. He searched her whole body until he found the patch of shadow. He burned it away with the fire that was his core. He conducted a second search, but found nothing.   
He opened his eyes and set her sprained wing. She did look better, he noticed. Her feathers shone and the icy blue of her eyes was clear. Devi cooed in pleasure as he scratched right on the back of her cold-fire neck.  
Lith applauded and Maude set down a tray of food. She winked. "Food for the poor, hungry healer." Ryou grinned back and began wolfing down his food. Devi ruffled her feathers and perched herself on his shoulder.  
Afterwards, Lith went to check on Shai, her white dragon and Maude, accompanied by Ryou and Devi, went to go pack. There journey back to the upper world was soon to come.  
Maude took out a small pack and began putting things in it. She checked things off while she put them in. "Reading material, brush for Othai, don't want him shedding all over the place now do we. Ahhh, here it is." Maude pulled out a long, intricately, if a bit roughly, carved walking stick. She looked at it lovingly. "Wouldn't go anywhere without it." She laid   
it on her bed and went on packing. By the time she was done, her pack was only about half full.  
Ryou stared at it. "Is that all? I didn't see you put in a change of clothes."   
Maude looked at him, startled. "Clothes take up room. And plus, I don't need to change my clothes. They're magicked against dirt and grit. I'm the only thing that needs washing." She looked around, seeing if she'd forgotten anything. "Oops. Can't forget the money." Maude pulled out a bag of ancient coins.  
Ryou stared at them. "You can't use those! You might be able to sell them to a museum, but the currency has changed quite a bit since you came down here." He pulled a small bag out of his pocket. "These are still in currency."  
Maude frowned at her handful of silver coins. Then she sighed. "I should have known. I guess you don't really think of that stuff, when you're a thousand eighteen years old. In fact, I'm surprised we speak the same language."  
Ryou nodded and smiled faintly. He began putting his stuff in another bag when Lilith came in with Shai curled up on her shoulders. She glared at Maude. "Must we bring that evil wolf of your's?"  
Maude groaned. "What's he done this time?"  
"He tried to frighten poor Shai to death by having a long conversation with her about how hungry he was!"   
Maude groaned and sat on her cot. She put her head in her hands. "Why, oh why, did I have to bond to that creature? Why couldn't I have had a nice creature, like Shai or Devi?"  
Ryou patted her sympathetically on the shoulder. "We'll live. Othai's not that bad."  
Lith began packing and ended up with about as much in her bag as Maude. Ryou wasn't having such luck. It wasn't that he had a lot of stuff, it was that it all seemed important. Finally he just put in what was absolutely necessary and left the rest behind. His pack still looked huge compared to Maude and Lith's packs.  
Furg, the giant thing that had found Ryou, was going to be taking care of their domain while Maude and Lith were away. He snorted goodbye to them as they left.  
Maude led them through the crystal tunnel and back to where the stone circle was above their heads. She started chanting and the circle came down. They stepped onto it and it began to rise. Ryou found himself not far away from where Maude had found him.   
They began their trek to the mouth of the cave. Lith conjured up witch-lights so that they could see. Ryou started seeing flecks of blood on some of the stones and realized that this must have been the path he had walked nine months ago. Othai was stalking ahead of them, sometimes running off into the shadows in search of imaginary quarries.  
When they finally reached the opening, Lith had to cast a spell to shade their eyes from the sun. Ryou had forgotten how green the leaves were and how blue the sky could be. Maude was running barefoot in a green field, laughing like a young child. Lilith was walking through a small stream with her shoes under her arms. Ryou just watched them, smiling, as they seemed to grow younger, surrounded by things of their ancient memory. Maude then went over to the stream and splashed Lith playfully. Lilith, surprised, fell backwards. Maude couldn't help but howl with laughter. But Lith got her back by raising a sheet of water and letting it drop on her head. Finally, once they were both soaking, they came over to Ryou with delighted grins on   
their faces.   
Maude went over to a rock and sat down to dry off and engaged herself in a conversation with a rock squirrel. Lith climbed up a tree and sat talking to an eagle. Ryou felt immediately out of place and started to talk to Devi. But she was too excited to say much.  
Once Maude and Lith were dry, Lith put her shoes back on and they began traveling down the road towards his home. As they walked, he began worrying about his stolen Millennium Ring. And Ratri He shivered as he thought of her, which caused him to get a funny look from Maude, since it was quite warm. What was Ratri doing with it? Did he really want to know? He decided he did. He felt as if that thing was his responsibility and any evil the world was suffering from it was partly his fault.  
Maude and Lith didn't looked nearly as worried. They were singing songs in ancient tongues and joking with each other. Shai was flying above, enjoying the sensation of the wing under her wings, and Othai was chasing rabbits. Devi was staying on his shoulder, though she was always chittering in his mind about all the odd things.   
By midday Lilith was able to take the shading spell of their eyes. By nightfall Maude and Lilith seemed like they had never have been given such a large treat as sleeping on the ground. Lith made a fire and Maude gathered wood. Ryou found that they wouldn't let him do anything. As they sat around the fire, Maude roasting a rabbit Othai had caught, Lith began   
singing in elvish. Her voice rose above the wind in an eerie soprano.   
  
"Ai! Laurie lantar lassi surien,   
Yeni unotime ve ramar aldaron!   
Yeni ve linte yuldar avanie   
mi oromardi lisse-miruvoreva   
andune pella, Vardo tellumar   
nu luini yassen tintilar ieleni   
omaryo airetari-lirinen."  
  
She took a drink of water, then continued,   
  
"Si man i yulme nin enquantuva?   
  
"An si Tintalle Varda Oiolosseo   
ve fanyar maryat Elentari ortane,   
ar ilye tier undulave lumbule;  
ar sin danoriello caita mornie   
i falaminnar imbe met, ar hisie   
untupa Calaciryo miri oiale.   
Si vanwa na, Romello vanwa, Valimar!   
  
"Namarie! Nai hiruvalye Valimar. Nai elye hiuva. Namarie!"   
She finished and then the rabbit was done. They spent some time quiet, stuffing their faces full of rabbit and taking long drinks of water.   
To Ryou it all seemed like a story. The song had woven a spell around the evening, making it the magickal kind of time where all you wanted to do was sit and look at the stars.   
When they finally lay down on the soft earth to sleep, Lith let out a long sigh of contentment. Maude rolled onto her back so that she could watch the stars and it seemed like nothing could ever go wrong.  
That was when the dreams started. That peaceful, magickal night. Ryou had fallen asleep with a full stomach and had Devi for warmth. That was when Ratri came dancing across his minds eyes. In his dream she had his Millennium Ring and was taunting his with it. "Come and get, little child." Ratri's hate filled face contorted into sick joy when Ryou found himself to be   
tied by his ankles and wrists. He struggled, but that only made Ratri begin singing and dancing around him. After one horrified second, he realized that she was singing the song Lilith had been singing. Only now it was warped and mangled, all the quiet joy squeezed out of it by the words Ratri had substituted. The dream held him fast, no matter how hard he tried to wake up. It held him all night.  
In the morning he found a concerned Maude bending over him. He tried to sit up, but found that he had managed to stick both of his wrists into tree roots and Othai was spread across his ankles. Maude took out one of her knives and hacked his wrists out of their prison and made Othai get off his feet. She helped him to his feet and offered him breakfast. When he   
didn't respond she looked at him worriedly "Ryou, are you all right?"  
He looked into the real worry in her eyes and wanted to cry. Why did they have to be so good to him? Half the time he was with them they made him want to cry by being tender and kind.He shook his head. "I just had bad dreams, that's all." More that anything he wanted to tell her, but he didn't want her to think he was soft and scared easily. But, he chided himself, he knew them too well to think that they wouldn't believe him. Maude herself had had some seemingly ludicrous dreams about part of the cave falling in, right outside their door. And she had been terrified by them. But they had come true. Part of the tunnel had collapsed. Surely she would believe him. But he just couldn't tell her. "Sure. Breakfast sounds great,"  
he said after a very long pause. She got him some berries and bread in silence.  
Later, when they were about to go, Lith came back from the long hike she had taken. She said she had scouted ahead and that, if they wanted to make good time, she would have to Change.  
Ryou found that confusing. Change? Why did she need to change? Lilith, like Maude, always wore the same clothing. But Lith set him straight by changing into a black dragon before his very eyes. He and Maude mounted her and she took flight. 


	3. Going Home

Disclaimer:I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! and if I say anything to offend anyone or I make any references that are from somewhere else/not originally mine, I do not own them either. I only own TEYVA! Oh, and Azari is on loan! ^^  
  
GOING HOME  
The sensation of flying was amazing. Maude was behind him, holding onto his waist so that she didn't go flying herself. He was holding onto a harness. Devi and Shai didn't mind flying at all. They thought it was great fun to exercise their wings. Othai wasn't having such a good time. Maude had him sandwiched between her front and Ryou's back. He had managed to   
make himself as small as he could be without looking like a cub. Lilith had snorted when she had seen him.  
They were flying over a thick forest when Ryou saw some familiar spiky hair. "YUGI!!!!!" Ryou could only say the name of his friends as Lilith began to soar down to them. He even said 'Seto' once in awhile, which surprised Maude, since he had told her all about his former life.  
Yugi and all of his friends ducked for cover as Lith shrank and came to a rest on the ground, dumping Maude and Ryou. Yugi slowly came out from behind his bush to stare wide-eyed at Lith, Maude and Ryou. Then, finally, "Ryou!!! You're not DEAD!!!!!" And Ryou was stampeded by happy friends who tried to hug him to death. Maude and Lith just stood off to one side, smiling vaguely.  
Ryou thought, as they were hugging him, I survived being kidnapped by my aunt's maniac maid, being chased by people who want my blood, and being under the vigorous training of two ancient teenagers and now I'm going to die because of their affection for me! Ack! "Please, don't kill me," he managed to gasp.   
They let go of him and he got a good look at each of them. Yugi, with his funny hair, grinning. Joey, grinning too, with his funny hair. Tea jumping up and down. Mai and Tristan dancing around in a circle, then realizing what they were doing. Tea stopped jumping for a moment to give him a kiss on the cheek. Ryou blushed. Devi had flown up into a tree when they   
had attacked him. She flew back to his shoulder and he introduced her to everyone.  
Maude and Lith, along with Othai and Shai, had begun to edge backwards, clearly wanting to get away unnoticed. Ryou wouldn't let them. He managed to get away from his friends long enough to run over and grab Maude my the arm and Lith by the front of her healer's robes. He dragged them over to Yugi and introduced them. "Yugi, this is Lilith, a healer, and this is Maude, an animal healer and warrior person." Maude bowed ancient warrior fashion. Lith nodded her head. Yugi just stared at them in their ancient clothing. Ryou introduced them to all of the others. Maude and Lith's reactions were always the same; bow and nod, bow and nod. Tea smiled in a friendly way at both of them and managed to get a small return smile from Lith.   
Mai looked at both of them appraisingly, then said 'Hello'. Tristan smiled at both of them. Joey shook Lith's soft hand, apparently unaffected by her beauty. But when he turned to Maude, his breath caught in his throat and he just stared at her. Maude looked at him curiously. Finally she hesitantly held out her calloused hand for him to shake. He took a startled look   
at her hand, then shook it very gingerly. Ryou and Tristan grinned evilly at him.  
Introductions done, they began to travel. Tea asked Maude and Lith if they would like some different clothes. They both considered it and thought it best. Tèa promised them new clothes once they got back.  
As they walked, Mai tried to talk to Lilith. Lith was very nervous and didn't talk much. Maude was readjusting the daggers she had insisted on bringing. Lith, Ryou, and Yugi had talked her out of bringing her sword. Joey kept on looking askance at the places where her daggers were concealed. Maude walked cat-quiet, talking to no one. Once Téa, trying to be   
friendly, came up quietly behind Maude. She had found a knife at her throat. Maude realized her mistake and apologized. After that, everyone made sure they made noise when approaching her.  
They finally wandered into a space of land that Ryou recognized. "This is my aunt and uncles property!" He looked around, excited. "But why were you guys here?"  
Tristan looked uncomfortable. "Well, they were, ah, having your, um, funeral." All of his friends looked guiltily at him.  
Ryou stopped dead. "Oh my. This is going to be interesting. Very interesting. How will we explain this?" he asked Maude and Lith, turning to them. Maude sat down on a rock cross-legged and meditated for a moment. Lith just shook her head and looked hopefully at Maude as she came back over.  
Maude shook her head. "The only way to clear things up is to tell your aunt and uncle everything. Especially the Rat." Maude always referred to Ratri as 'the Rat'.  
All five of his other friends looked at him. Yugi finally spoke in a panicked tone. "Ryou! Where's your Millennium Ring?!"  
Ryou sighed and brought them off the road. He told them everything. They all listened with rapt attention, not missing a word. Othai whined and put his head in Joey's lap. Joey began petting him absently. Maude and Lith, having already heard the story, engaged themselves in a long conversation with a Robin.  
Once Ryou was done telling his story, Othai had managed to wiggle himself all the was onto Joey's lap. When Maude whistled to him, he took his time getting up. He gave Joey a playful lick on the nose and bounced over to Maude. She scratched him behind his ears and he sounded almost like he was purring.  
Everyone just sat there, considering his story. Tea was the first to stand up. "Just sitting here won't do any good. We need to get to Ryou's aunt and uncle's so that he can tell them what happened and we can organize a search for Ratri" Maude, the first to react, smiled for the first time. Lith nodded in agreement. Yugi, Joey, Mai, and Tristan all stood up and began following Ryou as he started down the road again.  
Maude walked over to Tèa. "Good thinking. Have you ever thought of studying the warrior's trade?"  
Téa looked up at her, startled. "There's nowhere to study those things and only those things. You can take marshal arts and fencing or archery, but there aren't any schools where you learn that sort of thing."  
Maude looked taken a back. Then she sighed in surrender. "I should have guessed. So many things have changed since Lith and I began our training." Maude flipped her braid off her shoulder. "I guess it is time for us to come out of our lair and teach the old ways. You people seem sorely in need of it. I could begin teaching you the ways of the warrior, if you like. I could also help you find your bond creature." She looked questioningly at Tèa.  
Tèa gasped. "Would you? I would love to learn! And find my bond creature, "she added as an after thought.  
Maude smiled. "We will find your bonded first. They will help you in your lessons." Maude bowed and moved away, once again silent and statue-like.  
Ryou was talking to Yugi. "How much farther is it to their house?"  
Yugi shrugged. "We came out here to camp for a night. Our tents are over in that clearing." He pointed over to a break in the trees off to the side, just in sight of the road.  
Ryou nodded. It was getting late and he wasn't really looking forward to sleeping on the ground again. Devi ruffled her feathers by his ears in agreement.   
Yugi began leading them off the road. Mai was still trying to engage Lilith in conversation. Lith wasn't having any of it. The most she ever said was, "How nice," or, "Good for you."  
Joey and Tristan were the last in line, both walking silent, Joey with his eyes on Maude's back. Othai, feeling Joey's eyes on Maude, turned around once and Joey could have sworn the wolf had winked at him.  
When they got to the clearing, Ryou's heart sank. Only two tents. Mai and Tèa in one, Yugi, Tristan, and Joey in the other. Maude sank to the ground by the fire pit. Othai stretched out next to her. She slid her pack from her shoulder and took out some bread, the same type she had been nibbling on all day. She stared into Othai's eyes, and after a few moments he loped off into the bushes. At Ryou's questioning look she said, "He's gone off hunting."  
Lilith sat down next to Maude. Everyone else formed a circle. Joey sat next to Maude, and Tèa sat next to him. Ryou sat next to Lith and Mai and Yugi sat next to him. Tristan took the only remaining seat. Maude took some flint and tinder out of her pack and started a small fire. Everyone scooted closer to it to get warm.  
Ryou said to Yugi, "How far did you guys come out?"  
Yugi considered this question for a few minutes. "About a mile," he said at last.   
Ryou nodded and pursed his lips in thought and at that moment Othai ran whimpering into the circle of light. Maude jumped up. "Othai!" She ran over to him and held his muzzle in her hands. After a few moments she let him go and stood up. Her face was white. "The Rat knows we're here. She's using your ring thing to track you, Ryou!"  
Everyone stared stupidly at her in their surprise. Lith was the first one to jump up. Without a word she Changed into a dragon and jerked her head for them to mount. Everyone did, Maude last of all, holding onto Othai. Maude caught Yugi's eye. "You'll have to come back later to get your camping gear."  
Yugi nodded and held on to Lilith as she took flight. A few moments after, a large group of black-clad horsemen came thundering into the clearing. The riders cursed and flung down their weapons in rage as soon as they saw the campsite was deserted. All but one. A bowman. He sighted the nearest of the dragon riders and shot.   
With a small cry, Maude clutched at her stomach. A black arrowhead had sprouted from it. She fell quietly from Lilith's back.  
Othai shrieked his outrage but could do nothing about the small gray figure returning to the earth. Tèa screamed and Joey tried to dive off after her. Ryou and Tristan held him back. Mai stared in shock after Maude.  
Joey struggled with them. "She's going to die! How can you just sit here and watch it happen?"  
Ryou looked at him sadly. "Joey, there is nothing we can do. If any of us try to help her, then there will be two deaths."  
Tristan nodded and finally let go of Joey's arm. Mai looked back at Joey with a worried expression on her face. Lilith didn't know what was going on.  
Suddenly, Ryou, who had a bit of telepathy with Maude, heard her mind-scream: Tell.........Lith to.......keep....going. Get...to........your.....aunt and uncles..........house. Catch....the..Rat. And...tell Tèa.....I'm sorry .......I couldn't ...... teach ..her.   
And then she was silent. Ryou mind-yelled at Lilith to keep flying to his aunt and uncles house. Othai was whimpering and hiding his eyes. In the silence, they all heard the dull thud of something hitting the ground. Joey let out a muffled sob. Tèa was covering her face and tears were silently coursing down Ryou's face. Yugi asked, unknowing, "What happened to Maude?"  
Everyone stared at him. Ryou managed to say, "Shot with arrow." But that was all. Yugi understood. He bowed his head. Othai then took his paws off of his eyes. He looked up a Ryou with excitement. Ryou tried to grasp the thought that Othai was frantically throwing at him. He finally got, Death not!!! Ryou sat up straight and wiped his eyes. He looked at   
Othai. "What?!?!?!? Do you mean she's not DEAD?!?!?!?!?!?!" Othai wagged his tail and licked Joey's face.  
"Not.....dead?" Joey said uncertainly.  
Tèa let out a whoop of joy and Yugi and Tristan started smiling broadly. Mai looked at Ryou in disbelief.  
"SHE'S NOT DEAD!!!!!!!!! ALL RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!" Joey started bouncing up and down like he was a very young child on a pony ride.  
Ryou thought for a moment. "It's a good thing she's not dead, but we'll have to wait to come back and get her. And, what are the chances of her still being alive then?"  
Joey glared at him. "Oh go and ruin my happiness, why don't ya!!!"  
At that point Tristan called out to them. "There's their house, Ryou!!"  
Lilith went into a dive and they landed on the front lawn. Lith Changed back into herself just as Ryou's aunt and uncle came running out. "RYOU BAKURA WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?" his aunt screamed at him.  
Ryou ignored her question. "Is Ratri here? I need to talk to her."  
His uncle shook his head. "She disappeared about the same time that you did. Easy, Agatha." Ryou's aunt was shaking Ryou's shoulders and screaming at him.  
"WE WERE SO WORRIED!!! YOU NEVER SENT US SO MUCH AS A LETTER!!! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!" She shook his shoulders one last time and then gave him a bone crushing hug.  
"In hell, Aunt Agatha." Ryou regained his breath and Lilith caught his eye. She and Othai were edging towards the woods. "Aunt Agatha, I need to tell you a very long story. You too, Uncle Gregory. But first we need to call the police and find a friend of ours."  
Aunt Agatha spotted Lilith. "Ryou, where are your manners? Introduce us to your friend!"  
Lilith stepped forwards. She looked at Aunt Agatha. "Heelo. I'm Lily."  
Ryou, Joey, Tristan, Tèa, Yugi, and Mai all stared at her. A fake name? Did Lilith not trust his aunt?  
Aunt Agatha smiled. "Nice clothing, dear."  
Lilith stiffened, but said nothing. Ryou decided that it was time to go look for Maude. "Aunt, please go call the police. We need to go find someone." Ryou and the rest of his friends all turned and made their way towards the trees, leaving his aunt and uncle standing on their front lawn.  
Once they were in the forest, Ryou turned to Lilith. "Why did you give my aunt a false name? You don't trust her, do you?" he accused.  
Lith looked at his, expressionless. "No, I do not trust her," she said frankly. "There is something about her that is not right." She said no more and began swiftly running through the underbrush. Othai rushed after her, frantically sniffing here and there.  
They all followed, all hoping that when they found Maude, if they ever did, that she would still be alive. Ryou tried to catch up with Lith, but she only ran faster. They spread out and searched everywhere. Nothing.  
They finally came to a semi-clear spot. Red-brown stained a large spot of grass. Joey fell to his knees. No Maude in sight.  
Something moved in the shadows.   
"Who's there?" Ryou shouted.  
Seto Kaiba stepped out of the bushes with someone in his arms. It was Maude. He took a few more steps forward and said, in a soft voice, eyes on Maude, "I found her on the ground here. I thought she was dead." Maude moaned a little bit. "But she isn't. She was muttering something about rats. And you, Ryou. And your Millennium Ring. Is it true you lost it?"  
Everyone stared at Kaiba. Joey mouth was opening and closing, but nothing was coming out. Tea finally said, "Kaiba? What are you doing here?"  
Seto never looked away from Maude. "Does it matter? She's not dead yet. And the longer you stand there looking like stupid fish, the more blood she loses."  
Lilith came forward. "Set her on the ground," she ordered Seto.   
When he hesitated, Othai growled and Lith got impatient. "I'm a healer, for the Mother's sake!!! PUT HER ON THE GROUND!!!!"   
Seto set her down quickly. She was wrapped in his coat. He had managed somehow to get the arrow out of her and shoved some dirt in the wounds to stem the tide of blood seeping out of her. Lilith kneeled next to her and said, "Maude? Can you hear me? It's Lilith. I'm here to help you. Maude?"  
Maude groaned and looked at Lilith. "Lith? O thank the Mother you're here!"  
"Quiet, quiet. I'm going to heal you, but I'm going to have to keep you awake. You'll need to help me." Lith placed her hand on Maude's forehead. Maude sighed tiredly and winced as one of her broken ribs shifted.  
Seto stared at Lilith. "Who do you think you are? Some mystical little person who thinks they can pull on the magick of the universe?" he said in a mocking voice.  
Maude, opening one eye, said, "Seto, she knows what she's doing."  
Seto, reluctant, nodded. He watched as Lith began to glow with a green aura. Maude's white aura also began to shimmer. Everyone else sat down some ways away to watch, hoping Lith could save Maude. Seto was the only other person who stayed nearby. Maude gasped in pain and grabbed his hand. Seto let her, but looked a bit bewildered. Othai spread himself across her feet to hold them down.  
After about a half an hour, Lilith let go of Maude. Maude still had Seto's hand clenched in her's. Joey was glaring at Seto. Maude didn't have a gaping hole in her stomach anymore and she had stopped bleeding. Maude looked up at Lith and Seto. "Thank you." And then she fell asleep.  
Lith looked at Seto. "Thank you for helping."  
Seto actually blushed. "You're welcome." He gathered the sleeping Maude into his arms again and looked at the others. "Which way is your uncle's house, Ryou?" Othai looked up at him and grinned in his own wolfish way.  
Ryou pointed the way they had come. Seto and Lith started in that direction. Tea and Mai caught up with them and Tristan, Joey, Yugi, and Ryou followed.   
Mai looked at Lilith. "Are there anymore Old Ones like you and Maude?"  
Lilith thought for a moment. "Yes. Let's see.........there's Fern and Jaron. Fern is an sea witch and Jaron is an earth mage. There's Teyva and Azari. Teyva is a spirit mage, very rare gift, and Azari is a dark witch. And....there's someone I know I'm forgetting. Oh yes. Fyari and Halcyon. Fyari is a fire mage and Halcyon is an air mage."  
Mai stared at her. "Could they help us?"  
Lilith looked at her. "They probably could. I should ask them. Thank you for your suggestion."  
Mai smiled. "Always trying to be helpful."  
When they got back to his uncle's house, they went in and put Maude in the guest bedroom. Seto insisted on staying with her. Othai went with Seto. Everyone else went into the living room and began discussing their problem. Ryou's aunt and uncle were nowhere to be found.  
"Mai gave me a very interesting idea, Ryou. There are a few others like Maude and myself. I could call them and ask for their help." Lith looked at Ryou.  
Ryou looked thoughtfully back at Lith. "Ok. They might be helpful. How quickly can they get here?"  
"That all depends on how busy they are. And if they want to help. I'm pretty sure Teyva will come, she'll help anyone. And Fern, Jaron, and Halcyon will probably come. If Halcyon comes, Fyari will too. But I'm not sure about Azari. Teyva might be able to talk her around." Lith stood up and stretched. "I'll go talk to them." She opened the door and went outside. She   
sat on the front lawn and began meditation.  
Tristan looked at Ryou. "She is amazing. So is Maude. But they're kinda weird, too."  
Joey looked at Tristan. "What's weird is Seto Kaiba sitting by Maude's bed like a trained dog."  
Yugi, before now silent, said, "I don't care how weird they might seem. As long as they can help Ryou get rid of Ratri, I think they're fine."  
Tea and Mai nodded agreement.   
After two hours, Lilith came back in. "They're all coming." She then fainted with exhaustion.  
Ryou caught her. They took her upstairs and put her on the bed next to Maude. Seto looked at her. "What happened to her? Is she dead?" Othai whuffled Lilith's hand in concern.  
Joey looked at Seto scornfully. "No, she's not dead. And were about to have help, thanks to her. Show some respect!?"  
Seto looked at Joey, shocked. Just then there was a knock on the front door. Ryou was about to go answer it, but Tèa held him back. "What if it's Ratri? I'll go." She left the room.They heard the sound of the door opening and a soft 'oh' from Tèa. She came back, followed be two seventeen year old girls. 


	4. Betrayal, or is It?

Disclaimer:I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, or any material I may have stolen from LOTR. That is the property of JRR Tolkien! Azari is still on loan. Jeeze, she's EXPENSIVE!  
  
Go read JRR's books!   
  
BETRAYAL, OR IS IT?  
They both looked at the bed. One of them walked over and put their hand on Lith's forehead. Lith opened her eyes and said, "Teyva! You're here!" She looked over at the other girl. "Azari! You came too! I'm so glad."  
Everyone looked at Teyva and Azari. Teyva was nothing like what they had all been visualizing. She looked like a punk. Her body was leanly built and she was dressed in a black leather tank top and tight black leather bell bottoms. Around her neck was a spiked dog collar and on both of her wrists was a spiked bracelet. She wore black leather platform boots and her hair was an odd purple and she had even stranger eyes, one green, the other purple. She was also wearing black lipstick and eye shadow. She bowed to Ryou and said in an odd, rasping voice, "You must be Ryou. Lilith told us of your peculiar problem. We are here to offer help."  
Azari nodded. Her amber eyes were all they could see from underneath her black cloak. She shed the cloak and they say her properly. She had rather messy shoulder-length blue hair and cat ears. Azari was built like Teyva. She wore a black tunic and black pants. Her feet were bare. Around her neck was a roughly hewn silver choker with a pitch black stone as the center piece. Is seemed to glow with black light. She smiled at Lilith and they observed how pointy her   
teeth were.  
The doorbell rang. Tea went to go get it again. This time she was followed back by a young man and woman. Teyva smiled at them. "Hey Fern! Jaron." Azari retreated into a dark corner behind Teyva.   
Fern smiled. She was tall and thin, almost wraith-like. She had waist-length deep blue hair and dark blue eyes. Her long robe was dark blue and there was kelp stuck to her. She had the scent of the sea about her.   
Jaron grinned at Teyva and Azari. He had short brown-green hair and dark green eyes. He was short and stocky, a sharp contrast to Fern. He was wearing a dark green tunic and trousers. He, like Azari, went bare-footed. "Hey Teyva! Heelo Lilith. Haven't seen you guys for a while." He looked down sadly at Maude. "Poor Maude. She may be a warrior, but she still   
needs someone to watch her back for her."  
"Really?" Maude said, eyes still closed. Everyone jumped, excepting Teyva.   
Teyva laughed. "I wondered how long you were going to lay there. Heelo Maude. Nice to see you still all in one piece."  
Maude chuckled and sat up. She looked oddly at Seto. "How long have you been there? Wait, don't answer that. Hello all." She smiled at Fern, Jaron, and Azari. Fern smiled back and Jaron blushed. Azari began grinning like the cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland. She did evil eye and finger movements. Maude cracked up laughing.  
Again the doorbell rang again. Tea looked at Lilith. "If this is your other friends, is everyone here yet?"  
Lilith grinned at her. "Yep. You'll be able to stand still for a few moments."  
Tèa went to get the doorbell. Joey, Tristan, Mai, and Yugi had crunched themselves into one corner. Ryou was sitting on the bed with his knees against his chest. Seto was sitting on the bed too. Everyone else besides Maude and Lilith were standing in various spots in the thankfully large room.  
Tèa came back leading two more people. The middle-aged woman stopped at the doorway. She caught sight of all the other Old Ones and let out a harsh laugh. "Hah. Happy little party, this." She brushed back her silver hair back from her thin face. She was very short and thin. Her silver robe clung to her like a second skin. Her silver eyes darted from face to face, finally resting on Maude, who had tears of mirth running down her face. "My my. Dying, are we?" She turned to Ryou. "Forgive me. My name is Halcyon. These hooligans are my old friends."  
The bright red haired mage Fyari slipped in behind Halcyon. His watery blue eyes shifted from face to face. He smoothed down his blood red robes. He ran his fingers through his messy hair and it stuck up even more. He gave Teyva a sly smile and said innocently, "Hello Teyva. Still hoping someone will adopt you? You should polish your collar more often. It's getting a bit cloudy."  
Teyva glared at him. Then burst out laughing. "Oh Fyari. You delight in teasing me, don't you?"  
Fyari flashed her a comically solemn bow. Then both of them cracked up and had to sit down.   
Lilith sighed. "You people. Now you have to be serious. Ok. We are looking for a dark skinned woman with black hair. Her face resembles that of a rat. Her name is Ratri. Very fitting name. If you find her, mind call everyone else. Understand? Let's get going then." Everyone filed out. Maude told Othai to stay in the house and he sulked off. They went   
downstairs and out the front door. Ryou turned to shut the door when he caught sight of a note in the keyhole. He opened it. It read:  
  
I HAVE YOUR UNCLE. DON'T   
WORRY ABOUT YOUR AUNT.  
SHE IS A VERY GOOD FRIEND   
OF MINE. SEE YOU AROUND.  
  
LOVE,  
Ratri  
Teyva turned around to see where Ryou was. She walked back to him and took the note out of his trembling fingers. It was shot out of her hand with a familiar looking black arrow. "DUCK!!" Teyva yelled just as a torrent of arrows came whistling past their heads. She grabbed Ryou's arm and dragged him to the ground with everyone else..   
Lilith stood up suddenly. "GET BACK DOWN YOU MORON!!!!" Maude screamed at her. Lilith shook her head. She began a spell. Tendrils of green seeped from her finger tips and began to weave into a vail. She let the last of the green snap into place. She motioned for everyone to get up. They did so cautiously, then saw that the arrows bounced off the vail. They all began running in the opposite direction as the archers.  
Then Azari, Teyva, Lilith and Fyari stopped dead. Everyone else stopped to and looked at them.   
"We're surrounded," Teyva whispered. She glanced wildly at the trees, which had begun to hum. Then she snapped up straight, eyes wide and face pale. "Ratri. What is Ratri backwards?" She looked at the rest of the Old Ones, eyes full of terror.  
Azari stared at her. Then she spoke in an odd hissing whisper. "Do you mean that we are being pursued by IRTAR?!? We might as well just sit down and wait for her to find us!"  
Jaron's shoulders slumped. "Now we know where she went. I kind of wish we hadn't found out."  
Halcyon nodded, then saw the incomprehension on the faces of the young ones. "Irtar, or, as you call her, Ratri, is like us. She is the oldest of us. She is a time mage. She always was fascinated with things of power. She left us to search the world for powerful things. She was always too easy to impose upon. I suppose someone has offered her a reward for the Millennium Ring and for it's bearer's death." She turned to Yugi. "It would be wise if you left us. We will not ask you to go alone. We will transport you somewhere safe. If there is one."  
Yugi nodded, eyes wide. Then he grew several feet and, in a deeper voice, said, "No. I will not leave. When friends are in danger I do not run."  
Halcyon stared open-mouthed at him. "What?" She looked at Ryou, who was staring at him too. Halcyon turned back to Yami-Yugi. "Don't you understand? Your being here with that dratted Millennium Puzzle is just making it easier for Irtar to track us! You're killing your friend, not helping him!"  
Yami-Yugi frowned and thought a moment. Then he looked at Seto. Seto backed away, wide-eyed. Yami turned back to Halcyon. "You speak wisdom, little bird. But I believe I can do more good than harm. I am coming. Now, what is the plan?"  
Maude stepped forwards and grabbed a handful of Yami's clothing. "Do you know how stupid I think you are?"  
Yami stared coldly back at her. "I believe this is a good choice. Unhand me."  
Maude just grabbed him with her other hand too. "I'm about to do a gate spell and I'm going to shove you through, whether you like it or not." She glared at him. "Do I need to do that?"  
Yami brought up his fist and hit Maude squarely on the left cheek. She winced but didn't let go. Finally Yami said, "It won't work." He smirked at her and kicked her.  
Maude stared at him with a deep burning hatred. "I hate stupid people. And you're at the top of my list at the moment. Another thing. Don't you realize that if you are wounded, your mortal might die? Have you considered that?"  
For the first time Yami actually stopped and thought. Then he shook his head. "I believe I know best for-"  
"YOU ARE GOING TO GET US ALL KILLED!!! WHAT PART OF 'DEAD' DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?!?!?!?!?!?!?" Maude shook him violently, then began her gateing spell.  
Yami took a step back from her. "You wouldn't understand my motives. And I do understand the word 'dead'." He glanced at the nearly totally constructed gate. "And that won't work."  
Teyva came up behind him. "Yes, it will." Teyva threw a ball of purple fire at him and caught the rebounding flame in a box. She locked it and held it in front of Yami's astonished face. "Yes, I have your soul. Now, I am about to throw this through Maude's gate. And you will follow it. Understood?"  
Yami's face was death-white. "How could you?" he whispered.  
"Like this." Teyva tossed the box through the gate and Yami dove after it. Maude closed the gate. Teyva smiled at Maude. "Nice gateing, sister."  
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH YUGI?!?!?!?!?!?!?!" Tea screamed at Maude and Teyva.  
Teyva looked coldly at her. "He was a danger to us. We will get him back unharmed, never fear."  
Lilith stood very still. "Now, if you are quite done stealing souls, Teyva, we should get out of here." She Changed and they began mounting.  
Ryou stopped. If he kept on running away, he would never get his Millennium Ring back. He had to go face Ratri. No, Irtar. This was confusing. He looked up and saw Maude looking at him with an understanding look on her face. She slid off Lilith's back and walked over. "You aren't going alone, youngster. Old Maude's a coming."   
Fern, Fyari, Jaron, Teyva, and Azari all slid off Lilith's back too. They walked over to stand with Ryou and Maude. Lilith glanced at them, and nodded. She took flight before any of Ryou's friends could get off.   
"Hey, I'm coming too." Seto stood there. He hadn't been on Lilith yet.  
Maude groaned and covered her face. "Seto, Seto, Seto. You pain me."  
Fern glared at him. "Why didn't you get on Lilith?!? You'll just get in the way!"  
Maude wove the answer. They shoved Seto through the door and Maude closed it. She sighed. "Ok. We should go find Irtar."  
Azari wove a shadow spell around them so that they would look like ordinary night shadows. They took to the fringe of the trees, silently stalking towards the archers. Lilith's barrier had faded without her there to maintain it. The archers had figured out that they weren't there anymore. Ryou was acutely aware of how loud his breathing was.  
After ten minutes of running from tree to tree, Teyva finally found something. She waved frantically for them. They all came over. Teyva pointed to the clearing in front of their bush and stand of trees. Ratri stood there with Ryou's aunt by her side. His uncle was bound and gagged with four guards around him. Ryou began shivering uncontrollably. It was 'them'. His   
shivering became more and more violent until he was sure the bush was quivering.  
Then, to his horror, Teyva stepped out of the bush and walked to Ratri/Irtar. "Hey Irtar! How are you?"  
Irtar swung around, then saw who it was and relaxed. "Oh, heelo Teyva. You startled me! Did you bring them?"  
Ryou heard this and stared unbelieving at Teyva's back. She had betrayed them. Everyone else was also staring at her with astonishment quickly turning to hatred.   
Teyva moved closer to Ryou's uncle and Irtar. "Yep. They're coming. Could I see the ring?"  
Irtar, trusting as a small child, handed her the Ring. Teyva took it and began examining it. She kept inching slowly closer to Uncle Gregory.  
Ryou and all the rest decided what to do at the same time. They jumped out of the bushes and attacked Irtar and Teyva. Or, at least, tried. Irtar sent up a lightning quick shield around Uncle Gregory, Teyva, herself, and Aunt Agatha.  
Teyva looked at them. She saw the hatred in their eyes and flinched, as if hurt by it. She walked towards them, holding Ryou's Millennium Ring. "Don't hate me," she said pleadingly. "I had no choice."  
But, it seemed to Ryou, that she was talking slightly over her shoulder. Irtar didn't seem to agree with him, though. She walked up behind Teyva, smirking. She waved sarcastically at all of them. "Heelo Fern! Maude, Jaron, Fyari, Halcyon, Azari. What a merry company. And what's this? Ryou Bakura? It must be a second christmas!"  
Maude gave her a withering look. She caught Teyva's eyes and held them, managing to show Teyva the depths of her feelings. Teyva winced and looked pleadingly at them, willing them to understand.  
Teyva stared at all of them. Oh if only she had thought to tell them she had spent the last hundred years getting Irtar to trust her! She had been spying on Irtar for them for years, pretending to be her ally. She had fed Irtar a bunch of fake information. If only she had thought to tell them!  
Then Teyva imperceptibly tripped a spell she had set earlier. It drew all but a tiny bit of strength out of Irtar. Irtar screamed and the barrier broke. Fern, Fyari, Jaron, Halcyon, Maude, Azari, and Ryou all charged. Ryou went straight for his aunt. She screamed and tried to run. She tripped and fell, sprawling on the ground. Ryou grabbed her hands and feet, while   
with his toes drawing the spell that would paralyze her. He finished it and his aunt stopped moving.  
The rest of them had gone for Irtar, Teyva, and Uncle Gregory's guards. Fern, Jaron, Fyari, and Halcyon all took on their own guard. Azari went for Teyva and Maude charged Irtar. Ryou jumped up and ran over to Maude to help her.  
Teyva and Azari looked at each other. Teyva still held the Millennium Ring in her hand. Azari stared at her, her gaze half sorrow, half hatred. "Why? Why, you little bitch?!" Azari tackled Teyva and bit her. Teyva cried out and Azari managed to get her collar and both of her bracelets off her. Teyva slashed at Azari and caught her across the forehead above her eyes.   
Blood trickled into Azari's eyes as she took a long knife out of her sleeve. Before Teyva could kick her away, she struck. Teyva let out an agonized groan and looked up at Azari, her eyes full of more than physical pain.   
"I..spent.....the......last......hundred years.....getting....... her..... to....... trust...... me...... so.....we...could..............use.......it against her. I'm........ sorry.. I..... never..told you," she managed to gasp. Then her heart pumped the last of the blood out of her system.  
Azari stared at her in horror. "TEYVA!" She grabbed Teyva's shoulders and shook her gently. "Teyva! Oh, Teyva! Why didn't you tell me?!? Teyva!"  
Teyva's head lolled on her shoulder as Azari pulled her into a sitting position. "Oh, Teyva! You stupid bitch! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!?"  
When Teyva didn't respond, Azari realized she would never answer. She sank to the ground and pulled her knees up to her chest and cried. Cried for poor, stupid Teyva. Cried for herself and all the rest, who's thoughts about Teyva had been hateful ones and how greatly they had deceived themselves. Cried for the gift that Teyva had taken out of the world with   
her. There were no more spirit mages. Teyva was the last one.  
Maude and Ryou's battle with Irtar was not going very well. Irtar had put up a shield. They had put one up around her's. The shields made it so any spell they threw at her just soaked into the shield. Soon Fern, Fyari, and Jaron joined them. Halcyon was still grappling with her guard. Fyari had cut Uncle Gregory free. Uncle Gregory sat there rubbing his wrists   
and watching the battles taking place.  
Irtar saw Azari kill Teyva. "TEYVA!!!" she shrieked. She then realized that the Millennium Ring was still in Teyva's lifeless hands. And it then dawned on her what had just happened. She stared at Teyva, someone she had always thought of as a friend. Betraying her. But now she was dead. Dead.  
With all of the mage's combined effort, they shot a bolt of multicolored light through both of the shields and hit Irtar. She screamed once, then was following Teyva down the walk to Death's house.  
Fern lowered her hands and everyone else followed suit. She turned to see Halcyon laying on the ground next to her dead guard. Halcyon groaned and sat up, holding a large gash down her side.  
Then Ryou caught sight of Azari sitting next to Teyva's corpse, crying. He walked over to Azari. "Why do you cry? She betrayed us."  
Azari looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes. "You don't understand," she croaked. "She told, me, as she was dying, what was really going on." She took the Millennium Ring from Teyva's stiff fingers and handed it to Ryou. "She was a spy for us. She gained Irtar's trust and used it against her. She was the reason the barrier around Irtar failed. And she's the   
last of the spirit mages. And I killed her. I killed the best friend and partner I've ever had. I killed the last one with a link to the spirit world. I have murdered more that you will ever know." She turned from him, stood up, and walked away into the forest.   
Ryou watched her go, then looked down at his Millennium Ring. Was this worth a life? No. It wasn't. It was only worth it's weight in sawdust, not blood. He looked down at Teyva, at the knife handle sticking out of her chest. Her face, twisted with pain. He bent down and picked up her collar and bracelets. He turned them over in his hands. He walked over to the   
others, holding them.  
They all looked at him, holding Teyva's jewelry. "She didn't betray us," he said quietly. "She was a spy for us. She gained Irtar's trust." He held up his Millennium Ring. "She was the one who took down Irtar's barriers. She was the one who held the Ring out of Irtar's reach. She betrayed Irtar, not us." He looked down at the Ring. "This is not worth flesh and blood. It is not worth a life, a soul, a spirit. And one who was the last of her kind."  
Fyari stood up slowly and took the collar and bracelets from Ryou's hands. He ran his fingers over them, tears forming in his pale eyes. "Oh little puppy. How I wish you had told your master where you ran and with whom." One of his tears fell onto one of the spikes and slid down it, leaving a shiny track.   
Everyone but Fyari and Ryou stared at the collar and bracelets in disbelief. Finally Halcyon struggled to her feet. "Where is Azari? I fear she will hurt herself in her grief over Teyva." She began loping the way Ryou pointed.  
They all followed, Maude and Ryou helping Uncle Gregory. Fern did a gate spell and sent Ryou's aunt back to her house to be dealt with later. They followed the path that Azari, in her sorrow, had clearly left.   
Once they found her, she was sitting cross legged on a stone by a stream, her back turned to them. Halcyon stumbled forward and touched Azari's shoulder. "Azari, you didn't know. There was no way you could have known." She shook Azari gently.  
Azari fell backwards and slipped off the rock. Jaron gasped. With her other knife, Azari had slit her wrists. Ryou, though repulsed, moved forward. On closer inspection, he saw that she had cut words into herself. Blood oozed from the words: I am sorry Teyva I failed you.   
Ryou drew back. He dropped the Millennium Ring on the ground, backing away from it. It had two people's blood on it. Teyva and Azari's. Halcyon jumped backwards from Azari, horror plainly written on her face. Fern walked over to Ryou. Maude just stood there, her eyes filling up with tears. Jaron walked over and picked up Azari. He started back to where Fyari   
stood over Teyva's body.   
Fern stopped in front of Ryou, picked up the Ring, and shoved it in his chest. "We sacrificed all for you. Don't you dare throw that on the ground!" She looked up at him, her thin face frighteningly passionate. "Teyva sacrificed her own life to get that back for you. True, it was partly to save the world from Irtar. But mostly it was to get it back for you. And you throw it on the ground." Fern glared at him. "Oh, great show of gratitude." She turned away from from him and followed the rest back to where Teyva lay.  
Ryou thought for a moment. Fern was right. Teyva had done a lot for him. And now she was dead. And in exchange for her life he had cast away the thing she had died to save. He was ashamed. He put the ring around his neck, then followed them. When he got back to the clearing, Lilith was there with Joey, Tèa, Mai, and Tristan.   
"Ryou?" Tea said cautiously, taking a step towards him. "Are you all right?"  
Joey followed her. "You don't look so great."  
"In fact, you look kinda bad," Tristan said, concerned.  
Mai just looked around at all of the blood and death spread around her. Then she caught sight of Teyva. She stared at her, openmouthed.   
Ryou fended off his friends. "I'm fine. Please, just let me sort things out." He sat down on the ground and put his head between his knees. The scent of blood was beginning to make him a bit queasy.  
Maude opened a gate and Seto stepped out and threw his arms around her neck. "You're not dead!"  
Maude dropped her head tiredly on his shoulder. "No, I'm not. But others are." She gently shook Seto off and made another gate. Yami-Yugi stepped out and grabbed a fistful of her gray cloak.   
"Idiot," he hissed. "I knew she wasn't a traitor! You were the ones who got her killed   
when I could have saved her! Idiot. Do you know how stupid I think YOU are?"  
Maude stared at him. "How could we have known you knew?!? You never said anything!" She pulled her cloak out of his grasp and turned away.  
Seto put his arms around her shoulders and glared at Yami-Yugi. "Stop it. She's been through a lot." He led Maude away.  
Yami-Yugi snorted. Then he shrank back to his normal size. "AHHHHHHH! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?!?!"  
Everyone turned to stared at him. He blushed and went over to his other friends.   
Lilith went over to Fyari, who was sitting next to Teyva, staring blankly at her body. She put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry." That was all she could say before she sat down next to him and began crying also.  
Halcyon stood off to one side, watching all of her friends, the Old Ones, cry their heads off. Everyone died. True, Teyva and Azari's deaths pulled at her heart. But they had done what they must. Well, Azari may not have, but Teyva did. Teyva had understood the consequences and taken the risk of death. But now there were no more spirit mages. Halcyon shook her head and turned away. Sorrow wasn't constructive. There were other problems, back where she should be. She had to go. She walked off into the forest without as much as glancing over her shoulder once.  
Jaron looked up in time to see her wandering off into the forest. He put Azari on the ground. Gathering the earth forces to him, he displaced six feet of earth right next to her. He gently put her down and laid a leaf on her chest. The glowing of her stone had dimmed, then gone out. He let the earth settle back into place, then went searching for a rock. He came back with a relatively flat stone and began carving words onto it. When it was done, it read:   
  
AZARI, SHADOW TALKER  
THE SHADOWS SHALL MISS HER.  
MAY SHE WALK THROUGH   
DEATH'S HOUSE WITH NO FEAR.  
  
He sat back and shoved it into the soft earth where she lay. He walked over to Teyva. Before he could start, Fyari held up his hand to stop him. He stood and gathered fire wood. Once he was done, he lay it in a spirit star and put Teyva in the middle, her collar and bracelets on her chest. Then he began speaking.  
  
"May her spirit join those of the  
ones who came before her with her  
gift. 'When the black breath blows   
and Death's shadow grows and all  
lights pass, Life to the dying in the  
spirit's hand lying.'"  
  
He focused and the star went up in flames. Teyva didn't burn, she faded. She faded into a silver/purple mist which flowed over them all and seemed to whisper, "Farewell, young ones."  
Fyari wiped his streaming eyes and he too walked away into the forest, after Halcyon. Fern let the fire burn low, then she put it out with a spout of seawater. Fern turned to Maude, Lilith, and Ryou and bowed. "Farewell. I must get back to my territory. I am glad that I was of assistance." She walked off into the forest in a different direction than Fyari and Halcyon. Jaron bowed to them and walked swiftly after her, leaving only four of the Old Ones in the clearing, two living, two dead.  
Maude, with Seto's arms around her still, turned to Ryou with a pained look on her face. "I believe it is now that we must leave you. We have taught you all you may know without being forced to become one of us. Lilith and I will search for a replacement for Azari." She sighed and looked regretfully at the remnants of the star. "We will have to also find them a partner.   
Maybe a time mage. We need a new one of those too." She and Lilith bowed to Ryou and the rest of his friends. Maude then disentangled herself from Seto, and walked over to Ryou. She kissed him gently on the cheek and smiled sadly. She and Lilith strode off into the trees. Seto followed them. 


	5. Afterwards

Disclaimer:For the last time, I DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE SAID THIS HOW MANY TIMES?!?!?!?!?!?!? And I do NOT own Somewhere Out There by Our Lady Peace, the first song appearing in this chapter, or Soak up the Sun by Sheryl Crow, the second song appearing in this chapter.  
  
Ok, 'chapter'. SO WHAT IF IT'S SHORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy!  
  
AFTERWARDS...............  
Three months later, Ryou was sitting on his bed with Yugi, Joey, Mai, Tèa, and Tristan around him. It was a weekend and they had finished their homework.  
Joey looked at Ryou. "I wonder how they're doing. Lilith and Maude, I mean. And Fern and the rest. I wonder if they've found replacements." He fell silent, not really expecting a reply. These days they didn't really have to talk. They just understood.  
Devi was the only one missing. In all of the confusion with Ratri/Irtar, she had disappeared and had not come back. Ryou missed her, but it seemed somehow easier to think about Maude and Lilith in a rational manner when she wasn't around.  
Mai, tired of the silence, turned on Ryou's radio.   
  
"........Hope you remember me  
When you're home sick and need a change  
I miss your purple hair  
I miss the way you taste  
I know you'll come back some day  
On a bed of nails I wait   
I'm praying that you don't burn out or fade away.............."  
  
Mai changed the station. It was the same song. She changed it again. Same song. Change station. Same song. Change station. Same song. Mai finally turned the radio off again and turn to Ryou with wide eyes. He looked back at her, the song reminding him greatly of Teyva and her death and 'burning'.  
Just then there was a tapping on his window. Startled, he almost fell off his bed. He went over and pushed back the dark blue curtain. It was Devi. But somehow not. She didn't seem quite right. But he still let her in. She flew to his shoulder and began preening his hair. He coaxed her her onto his wrist and got a good look at her. Then it struck him. Her flame-feathers were not only black, they were also silver and purple. Her eyes were no longer icy blue, but one green, one purple and she had a miniature spiked collar.  
"Devi! I mean Teyva. Or do I? I'm confused!!" Ryou stared into the unblinking eyes of his phoenix.  
He heard a mental laugh and Teyva's rough voice sang through his mind: 'Tis I, Teyva. Your Devi accepted my request to join. Now we live as one, but with two minds. She fluttered back to his shoulder. I know Azari is dead. I felt it and it grieved me. She took too much upon herself. The blame was mostly mine, for being stupid and not telling her or the rest of   
you.  
Ryou nodded and turned the radio on again as his friends gawked at Devi/Teyva.   
  
"My friend the communist   
holds meetings in his office.   
I can't afford his gas so   
I'm stuck here watching TV.   
  
I don't have digital,   
I don't have didly squat.   
It's not getting what you want,  
it's wanting what you got!"  
  
I'm gonna soak up the sun............" and this time he left it on.  
As for Maude and Lilith, they found a young man named Oberon to take Azari's spot and an older woman named Kali for the new time mage. Maude sometimes wished she had had time to teach Tèa, but it probably wouldn't have done anyone much good. Seto lived with them for several years, then returned to the outside world.  
The next time they returned to the outside world, five hundred years later, Maude caught a new and alien disease with no cure and died. Lilith didn't even go looking for a new partner. She took all of her and Maude's belongings and knowledge to Halcyon and Fyari. She lived with them for a while, until she was going for her daily walk along the cliffs and she slipped.  
Fern died soon after of a shark attack while she was in whale form. Jaron, grieving but sensible, took all of their belongings and learning to Halcyon and Fyari too. Soon Kali and Oberon came and they began a small school. But, as the last believers in magick died, they lost their talent and power. They began fading into their afterlife, the fabled Summerland, though some call it the land of the Fae. Soon their hallways of knowledge began crumbling and the last of the Old Ways were lost to the world forever.  
Some few of the lucky chosen have said that they have a seen woman and her wolf running on the winds, or one of the other Old Ones, but they were never heeded. But each time they were said to be sighted, some large change for the world was in store.  
And for Devi/Teyva, they/she long outlived Ryou and we have no further information about whether they/she are/is still alive. 


End file.
